title: Lesions associated with the plexus venosus subcutaneus collaris of pigeons with chlorophacinone toxicosis.
abstract: We describe lesions in 29 adult domestic pigeons (Columba livia) poisoned with chlorophacinone, an indandione anticoagulant rodenticide. Birds were found dead in the field and in dovecotes after a wide-area treatment against common voles (Microtus arvalis) based on the dispersion in the open field of wheat grain treated with 0.005% chlorophacinone. At necropsy, most pigeons showed crops full of red-colored wheat grain, extensive subcutaneous hematoma in neck and breast zones, and hemorrhages in lungs and the coelomic cavity. Chlorophacinone was determined in liver samples by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection, and the mean (range) concentration was 11.2 (1.48-50.1) microg/g. Pigeons have a venous subcutaneous plexus in the neck zone (plexus venosus subcutaneus collaris), which has been described as an erectile tissue with a thermoregulation function. This case report describes a relationship between the subcutaneous hemorrhagic lesions and the plexus venosus collaris.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Complutense, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sarabia
authors.forename: Inés
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Barbudo
authors.forename: Walbens
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Siqueira
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mateo
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rollán
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pizarrod
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000662:veterinary; D010856:Columbidae; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D007189:Indans / Q000633:toxicity; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D009333:Neck / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012378:Rodenticides / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D007189:Indans; D012378:Rodenticides; C004662:chlorophacinone